Container for pencils and the like



Sept. 6, 1938. H. J. HASSENFELD CONTAINER FOR PENC ILS AND THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1937 2 SheetsSheet l p 1938- H. J. HASSENFELD 2,129,175

CONTAINER FOR PENCILS AND THE LIKE Filed April 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In 7/672 for Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers adapted to accommodate pencils, crayons, and other articles and is directed particularly to the structure thereof.

The general object of my invention is to provide a combined shipping and display container which has a space or spaces for the display of goods at the lower portion of the container, and a removable tray normally covering the goods on said lower portion and adapted to contain additional goods and manually movable to a position on the cover of the container so as to display the goods in both the base of the container and in the tray simultaneously, the upper tray being permanently attached so as to prevent separation from the remaining parts.

Further objects are to provide a swinging cover which, in open position, furnishes a rest for the tray when the latter is moved from its seated position in the box and to enable such removal by a single continuous movement of the hand, assisted by the resiliency of a flexible tray attaching element which performs the additional function of guiding the tray to its original seated position; to enable the utilization of the lower partition means as means for supporting the tray; to afford a simultaneous display of the entire contents of the receptacle; and to attain the indicated objects in a simple and inexpensive structure.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be hereinafter adverted to.

To the above recited and indicated ends primarily the present invention consists in such parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a container in closed position embodying my invention,

Figure 2, a like view of the same with the cover elevated and the tray in normal seated position,

Figure 3, a like View of the same with the cover elevated and the tray in unseated position resting upon the cover,

Figure l, a perspective view of the tray from below including the guide strip.

Figures 5 and 6, sections of the receptacle taken on lines 5-5 of Figure 1 and 6-6 of Figure 3 respectively, and

Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are views and sections, corresponding respectively to those of Figures 2, 3, l, 6 and 5 respectively, of a modified form of my invention.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the views.

My container [4 includes a rectangular box l5 comprising a floor l'l, front and rear walls l8 and I9, and end walls 20. The top of the box is open as at 2!.

A longitudinally disposed transversely rec- 5 tangular hollow filler member 23 is fixed by an adhesive or otherwise to the floor and rear wall of the box, with the top of the filler member in the plane of the top edges of the walls of the box.

A similarly disposed, hollow, transversely, rec- 10 tangular abutment 25 rests upon the floor adjacent the filler member but is of substantially less height than the latter.

A rectangular floor strip or mat 2'! extends longitudinally of the floor a major distance of 15 the length of the latter with its lateral edges engaging the abutment 25 and the wall l8. Equidistant from its edges the mat is provided throughout its length with a reverse V-shaped vertical rib 29, one of whose functions is that 20 of a partition defining longitudinal compartments 3!! for a supply of pencils, crayons or the like. An additional compartment 3| between the end of the mat and the adjacent end wall 20 of the box may house a protractor if desired. The ma- S5 terial of the members 23, 25 and 21 is preferably paper board.

A rectangular tray 33, seated in the box, includes a base 34, front 35, a back 36, and ends 31. The base is supported by the abutment 25 30 and the rib 29 so that the upper edges of the tray are substantiallyin the horizontal plane of the box. Fixed by an adhesive to the rear face of the upper portion of the tray back 36 is a tab 39, preferably of thin paper, adapted to over-' lap the edge of the back. The tray is purposed to contain pencils and like articles.

The tray is permanently attached to the box by a flexible guide strip 40 of paper or the like possessing a measure of resiliency. The strip is do in width approximately the length of the tray, to an intermediate portion of whose base one end of the strip is attached by an adhesive. The opposite end of the strip held interposed between the filler box 23 and abutment 25, where it is firmly 15 held to one or both of the latter in contact with the floor of the box by friction or an adhesive.

A casing 43 of flexible material such as cloth board includes an intermediate portion 44 fixed to and overlapping the back wall IQ of the box and the top of the filler member 23, a section 45 fixed to the floor of the box, and terminating in an attaching flap 46, and a second section 41 foldable along a longitudinally weakened line 48 at its junction with the intermediate portion, and

terminating at a forward portion in an attaching flap 49. The casing section 41 thus constitutes a hinged cover for the box. The flaps 46 and 49 are in overlapping relation and are interengageable by a snap fastener consisting of a socket member 5| and an entrant member or post 52.

The operation of my device is as follows. The flaps 46 and 49 are first detached and the cover 4'! elevated disclosing any articles in the tray 33. When accessibility to the compartments in the lower portion of the receptacle is sought or when it is desired to maintain a prolonged simultaneous display of all the contents of both the tray and the box, the operator, with the parts disposed as in Figure 2, grasps the tab 39 and with a combined upward and rearward movement deposits the tray 33 with its base 34 resting upon the exposed inner face of the cover 4'! as shown in Figure 3, where the tray is assisted in maintaining its removed position by the inherent resistance of the relatively stiff guide strip 40.

A modified form of my invention includes a rectangular oblong box 54 comprising a floor 56, front and rear walls 51 and 58 respectively, and end walls 59. A quadrilateral frame 6| of paper board, resting upon the floor of the box and of less height than the box, contacts with the end walls, lies adjacent the front and rear walls of the latter, and serves as a support. A longitudinally positioned, transversely, angular partition 62 of paper board is fixed to the floor of the box and engages with its extremities the portions of the frame 6| contacting with the walls, and is of the same height as the frame, thus dividing the lower portion of the box into two compartments 63 and 64 for storage and display. The partition and frame cooperate to support two trays 65 and 66 disposed lengthwise of the box, with their adjacent sides in contact with each other, and having their upper edges in approximately the plane of the upper edges of the box 54. The front and rear trays 65 and 66 have tabs 6? and 68 upon their front and rear sides respectively.

The means for connecting the tray 65 to the box includes a flexible strip 69 of paper or cloth whose upper margin H1 is fixed by an adhesive to the bottom of the tray where it is reinforced by an underlying longitudinal strip H of paper board. An intermediate portion 12 of the flexible strip has adhering to its side opposite the strip 11., and spaced therefrom sufficiently to allow a fold it, a longitudinal reinforcing strip 14. Similarly fixed to the intermediate portion of the flexible strip and spaced therefrom to afford a flexible bend 15, is a third reinforcing strip 76. The lower margin H of the flexible strip is interposed between the front wall of the box and the frame 6| where it is retained by friction or an adhesive.

The connecting means of the tray 66 is identical with that of the tray 65, and comprises a flexible strip I9, with its upper margin fixed to an intermediate portion of the bottom of the tray 66 and reinforced by a paper board strip 8|. Below a fold 83 is a reinforcing strip 84,

separated by a flexible bend 85 of the flexible strip from a third reinforcing strip 86. The lower margin 81 of the flexible strip is fixed between the rear wall of the box and the frame 6| frictionally or by an adhesive.

The casing 43 is identical with that of the non-modified form except that the intermediate section 89 of the casing does not overlap the top of the box but is longitudinally weakened along a line 96 beside the upper edge of the box.

The trays 65 and 66 are, when the receptacle is closed, seated in the box and rest upon the partition 62, thus concealing the articles contained in the compartments 63 and 64, as shown in Figure '7. When it is purposed to disclose the contents of the lower compartments the tabs are grasped and the trays upwardly and outwardly elevated thereby to the limit of the fiexible strips 69 and 19 and then released, whereupon the flexible section folds and the reinforcing strips H rests upon the strip 14, which in turn rests upon the front wall 51 of the box, thus supporting the tray 65. The described movement causes the reinforcing strip 8| to rest upon the strip 84 which rests upon the rear wall of the box and upon the adjacent portion of the cover 41, thus supporting the rear tray 66, as shown in Figure 9.

I claim:

1. In a container, an open box comprising a floor, front and rear walls, and end walls, a filler member upon the floor engaging the rear wall and extending substantially to the top of the rear wall, an abutment upon the floor adjacent the filler member and of less height than the filler member, a removable tray resting upon the abutment and contacting the filler member, the end walls, and the front wall, a flexible strip engaged at one end by the filler member and the abutment and fixed at its other end to the bottom of the tray, a cover flexibly connected to the box above the filler member, and

a tab upon the tray adjacent the filler member.

2. In a container, an open box comprising a floor, front and rear walls, and end walls, a filler member upon the floor engaging the rear wall and the end walls, and substantially the same height as the walls, an abutment on the floor adjacent the filler member and engaging the end walls, a mat upon the floor of less length than the abutment and engaging the front wall, the abutment and. one end wall, to provide a compartment adjacent the other end wall, a longitudinal partition integral with an intermediate portion of the mat, a tray resting upon the abutment and partition, a flexible strip secured at one end to the filler member and the abutment and at its other end to the bottom of the tray, a cover flexibly engaging the box adjacent the filler member, and a tab upon the tray.

3. In a container, an open box having a bottom and front, rear, and side Walls, a cover flexibly connected to the top of said rear wall, a tray removably seated in the box, a flexible strip connecting the box with the tray, said strip having one end thereof anchored within the box adjacent the rear wall and the other end fastened to the bottom of the tray adjacent the,

front end thereof, and said strip having its free portion appreciably longer than the height of said rear wall to permit said tray to be lifted out of said box and partially over said rear wall to expose the box interior.

HENRY J. HASSENFELD. 

